South Indian state Karnataka bans Endosulfan, Farmers to be hit, warn producers

Bangalore/Kolkata (PTI) - After Kerala, another
South Indian state Karnataka on Thursday banned use of the
pesticide Endosulfan with immediate effect, citing health
hazards.
The ban move came even as Pesticides manufacturers and
Formulators Association of India warned that farmers in the
country will be hard hit if endosulfan in use for 55 years
comes under a worldwide ban order under the Stockholm
convention in April.
The ban order is being pushed at the instance of the
European Union for being a persistent organic pollutant, the
Association President Pradip Dave said in Kolkata.
In deciding to ban endosulfan, the Karnataka Cabinet
chaired by Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa took note of reports
of physical deformities caused due to its usage in some areas.
Briefing reporters in Bangalore after the Cabinet
meeting, Higher Education Minister V S Acharya said the
adverse impact on humans, animals and birds due to aerial
spray of Endosulfan is 'scary.'
Endosulfan is used as insecticide for cashewnut crops
in taluks such as Belthangady, Puttur and Bantwal, and Acharya
pointed to reports of physical deformities and diseases in the
areas following aerial sprays.
The state government decided to ban Endosulfan use for
60 days to start with and would continue the measure
thereafter as well.
"The Cabinet has taken a decision to recommend to the
Central government to ban use of Endosulfan in Karnataka", he
said.
Acharya indicated that the Central nod for the ban is a
formality, saying: "...they (the Centre) will give immediate
concurrence. By sending a requisition (to the Centre), we get
authority to ban".
He also noted that the neighbouring state of Kerala has
already banned it.
The Minister also clarified that it is a "blanket ban"
on use of Endosulfan, not just for aerial sprays which are
resorted to in vast areas to cut labour costs.
Dave said the off patent pesticide endosulfan has been
proposed to be listed as a Persistent Organic Pollutant (POP)
and India is facing mounting pressure not to oppose European
Union proposal to enlist endosulfan as a POP.
He said that a decision on the EU proposal would be
taken by the Conference of Parties (COP) at the Stockholm
convention in April next "if no worldwide move is taken in
favour of the endosulfan pesticide's continunace".
Crop care Foundation of India Director Anil Kakkar said
the move to eliminate '"off patent" endosulfan would pose a
serious challenge to Indian farmers.
He said that over 75 million Indian farmers had been
safely using this pesticide over the years and the government
too considered it as not being harmful to farmers, consumers
and crops.
Kakkar said that endosulfan had been in use in tea
cultivation for over 40 years and its discontinuance as an
effective pesticide would have a negative impact on
agricultural output since the alternative pesticides are
"rather expensive" for Indian farmers.